Hi all!
First time poster, so please go easy on me!
We have a fire and a wood burning stove, but I'd love to increase my resilience by working out a way to keep my OFCH going in the event of an electricity blackout.
Obviously having an oil tank means we aren't connected to any gas grid, but the boiler needs electricity to run.
The only two options that I can think of are a diesel generator or possibly a solar power bank and panels, but I'm not sure if they would be powerful enough.
Any advice much appreciated!
How to keep my oil fired central heating going
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PepperThePrepper
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2025 6:45 am
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Yorkshire Andy
- Posts: 9789
- Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 4:06 pm
Re: How to keep my oil fired central heating going
First you need to find out what your oil boiler needs in terms of power...
Handbook / owners manual ..
Your next issue is using a generator or solar power bank / power station is the way the systems in the boiler work
Most use the earth / CPC as a flame failure circuit which as these stations use a 'floating earth' the boiler won't be happy and need a " special " extension lead making needing the nuteral and earth linking and some an additional earth to the pipe work at this point your in the realms of needing a electrician or opec oil boiler man to assist
Handbook / owners manual ..
Your next issue is using a generator or solar power bank / power station is the way the systems in the boiler work
Most use the earth / CPC as a flame failure circuit which as these stations use a 'floating earth' the boiler won't be happy and need a " special " extension lead making needing the nuteral and earth linking and some an additional earth to the pipe work at this point your in the realms of needing a electrician or opec oil boiler man to assist
If your roughing it, Your doing it wrong 
Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
Lack of planning on your part doesn't make it an emergency on mine
Re: How to keep my oil fired central heating going
My tuppeny's worth- I have some solar panels and here in the north of Scotland when you need the heating (i.e the middle of winter) there's not enough daylight to to charge a battery bank to run central heating. I'd just be getting a genny, cheap & efficient and pretty quiet.
I'm actually in exactly the same situation as you and have a couple of gas heaters but have never used them! We've found when we get power cuts which is quite often everyone just gravitates to the room with the woodburner. But my kids are young adults now so you may be wanting a more comfortable house generally of your families young.
I'm actually in exactly the same situation as you and have a couple of gas heaters but have never used them! We've found when we get power cuts which is quite often everyone just gravitates to the room with the woodburner. But my kids are young adults now so you may be wanting a more comfortable house generally of your families young.
Re: How to keep my oil fired central heating going
Can you not incorporate a UPS running of a battery that will keep the system running? We used to have one many, many years ago that kept our central heating running from our furnace when the power used to constantly drop out. Long time ago though...........